Sweden's services sector growth slowed for a second month in a row in April, but has stabilized in recent months, suggesting a bottom in the cycle, survey results from the Swedbank and the logistics business lobby Silf showed on Monday.

The Purchasing Managers Index, or PMI, for the services sector fell to 54 from 55.1 in March. A reading above 50 suggests growth in the sector.

The next few months will be decisive to determine the direction of the services cycle, Jorgen Kennemar, the economist responsible for analysis for PMI at Swedbank, said.

Overall private sector growth also slowed for the second consecutive month with the Composite PMI falling to 53.2 in April from 54.4 in March.

That means weaker activity in the business sector, but also suggests a stabilization, Kennemar said.

It's no secret that Donald Trump likes to intimidate the markets; this is his favorite weapon. It is equally safe to say that all these threats cannot be taken at face value. If Washington actually introduces new duties, which Trump tweeted, then the tariff barrier between the US and China will be higher than in many developing countries.

All these emotional outbursts are more like a continuation of the game "who blinks first," rather than a change in the course of trade negotiations. In this case, a logical question arises: what did Trump actually plan?

There are suggestions that China has nothing to do with it, and Trump's tweets are part of a certain president's game with the Fed. Earlier, the pressure was on the central bank to strengthen the position of the economy, which could bear the consequences of a trade war without complications. Perhaps now Trump is trying to drive the Fed into a corner. If trade uncertainty exists, the regulator will be forced to lower rates and ensure an economic boom before the 2020 elections. By the way, expectations for a reduction in the rate have now increased, whereas a few days ago they were declining.

It is unlikely that the head of the White House plays a strategic game, but in general, events confirm this. In addition, he has to reckon with what is happening in the foreign exchange market. The Chinese yuan, most of the post-crisis era, became cheaper following the slow growth of the country's economy. Companies that are subject to Chinese risk lagged behind other stocks, the exchange rate increased the competitiveness of the state. That all changed a little over a year ago, in part because of concerns about a trade dispute with the United States. On Monday, Chinese stocks plummeted, and the yuan fell to its lowest level in more than three years.

The authorities of China continue to carefully monitor the national currency, so it will not be easy for Donald Trump to increase the competitiveness of the US economy. More precisely – it is impossible. We need the Fed to lower the rate.

A report released by the Commerce Department on Thursday unexpectedly showed a modest decrease in U.S. wholesale inventories in the month of March.

The Commerce Department said wholesale inventories edged down by 0.1 percent in March after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in February. Economists had expected inventories to come in unchanged.

The slight drop in wholesale inventories came as inventories of non-durable goods slid by 0.6 percent amid a sharp pullback in inventories of drugs.

On the other hand, the report said inventories of durable goods rose by 0.3 percent, reflecting notable increases in inventories of machinery and metals.

The Commerce Department also said wholesale sales surged up by 2.3 percent in March after rising by 0.3 percent in February.

Data showed that fixed asset investment climbed 6.1 percent during January to April period compared to the 6.3 percent expansion logged in January to March period. Economists had forecast 6.4 percent growth.

Data showed that fixed asset investment climbed 6.1 percent during January to April period compared to the 6.3 percent expansion logged in January to March period. Economists had forecast 6.4 percent growth.

According to some analysts, Chinese authorities are showing a growing appetite for increasing the country's gold reserves. Last week, the central bank of China announced its purchase of a record amount of the precious metal. Analysts are certain that this is not the limit, and that China will continue to increase its reserves of the yellow metal.

Last week, the financial authorities of China released a statement, which confirmed the growth of the country's gold reserves by 14.9 tons, to a mark of more than 1900 tons in April of this year. According to analysts, the gold reserves of China have been growing for five months in a row. Since December 2018, the Chinese regulator has increased their volume by 58 tons. Note that from October 2016 to November last year, Chinese authorities did not disclose information about their gold reserves. Analysts believe that this indicates the absence of official purchases.

Analysts of the precious metals market are confident that the real volume of gold reserves in China is much more than official sources say. According to the World Gold Council, at the end of 2018, 1,506 tons of ferrous metal were imported into the country, and 17 tons were exported, while the precious metal production was 404 tons. Some experts have suggested that the Chinese authorities are not telling the whole truth, so as not to cause a rise in world prices for the yellow metal.

At present, China is also the main holder of US state bonds. In 2010, China's share in US government bonds was 14%. At the moment, it does not exceed 5%, although experts are confident that the trend to diversify international reserves will continue with the help of the yellow metal.